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Post by shady23 on Jul 28, 2018 13:52:33 GMT
In recent years they have used this for Kerry all the time.
Not sure why as the last West End show she did was Murder Ballad a long while ago with very mixed reviews.
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Post by Boob on Jul 28, 2018 20:32:04 GMT
Anita Harris.
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Post by hulmeman on Jul 28, 2018 20:46:41 GMT
Martine Mccutcheon - she left on top!
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Post by LaLuPone on Jul 28, 2018 20:49:22 GMT
Alexandra Burke.
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Post by robertb213 on Jul 28, 2018 22:04:01 GMT
I adore Kerry but they shouldn't use the title for her - she's 'only' been in the business for 20 years so I think you need longer run before you can be considered the First Lady. While I don't particularly enjoy Elaine, I'd say she gets the title. Give it another 25 years and Kerry, Rachel Tucker and Louise Dearman can have an Elphaba-Off and fight it out for the honour 😀
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Post by showtoones on Jul 30, 2018 19:42:17 GMT
In America it's Patti...She's a much bigger draw than Bernadette. Also, Chita Rivera?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2018 20:24:30 GMT
Yes, is definitely EP. She really was lead in one hit show after another. Evita, Cats, Chess, Anything Goes, Piaf, Sunset, King and I etc etc.
Kerry I like very much but she is (in my opinion) still waiting for that career defining lead role in a new hit musical (I mean originating). I can't see where this is gonna come from but I hope it does materialise as she truly has the most wonderful voice. Worth more (again in my opinion) than Wonderland and Murder Ballad.
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Post by martello736 on Jul 30, 2018 21:20:57 GMT
On Broadway I’d say it’s Audra no question, although I can see why people would also say it’s Patti, Bernadette, Chita, Liza, Melba Moore, Lillias White or really any of that older generation who’ve gone from show to show.
Elaine is great but she’s not really done anything of any note for a long time. Frances Ruffelle is pretty iconic, I remember reading through her theatre credits in the Wild Party programme and thinking “woah, she IS the West End.” I’d agree with what has been said before that Ruthie and Joanna Riding are also quite deserving. I feel like Haydn Gwynne could be another throne claimant too. Give the Wicked generation (Rachel, Kerry, Willemijn, Alice, Louise) another decade or so, they’re all huge talents, and I think Kerry could definitely earn the title somewhat unfairly bestowed upon her, but none of them have done enough outside of Wicked yet to be a general West End First Lady in their own right.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2018 21:29:50 GMT
Elaine Paige is a household name, because she is a musical theatre actress. That is what she is known for, for creating some of the most iconic roles on stage.
She is definitely the FIRST Lady of musical theatre.
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Post by djp on Jul 30, 2018 23:56:37 GMT
I don't think you can have a first lady of musical theatre who can't sing well any more. It opens up the criteria to anyone dead - who can't sing well any more too.
I don't think the current system allows anyone to claim the title at the moment.
The longer established names do less and less.Staunton features a lot, but I always think she's playing Dolores.
And if you drew up a list of the top, exceptional, younger females getting the best reviews, getting the nominations, and putting in the definitive sounding performances since 2010, at the moment you will find nearly all of them are not on the West End stage. They are in America, doing plays, singing to people who can play £180 a ticket in the wilds of Surrey, resting, on the few tours that require great singers, recovering from one , teaching, or just doing events, and cabarets.
Lloyd Webber had the idea with his TV shows of creating a new generation of stars, but he seems to have lost focus quite quickly there- Broadway has arguably been better at creating BrItish stars then we have. Now the trend seems to be for American producers to import unneeded, and often dubious, talent, too many roles to be filled by names, and lots of roles to be filled by someone cheaper, straight out of drama school.
It could be so much better if we actually used the top talent we have..
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2018 0:58:09 GMT
I’d definitely say Adura is the one for Broadway...she just needs to do a musical over here now!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2018 11:47:16 GMT
Have thought about this a bit more and I think a big hurdle to a new 1st lady of British musical theatre emerging is the fact that we have not had a new original British musical with a strong iconic heroine since I can't remember when. So there are no roles for the likes of the Wicked girls to originate. Nearly everything is imported now and most of that is juke box or film based - there just isn't the same opportunity for someone to shine. Also those that do originate roles with a female lead (Tina, Bodyguard, Dreamgirls) are amazing but are recreating (very well) an existing icon and I wonder if they are good enough ACTRESSES to play for example Tina one day, Norma Desmond the next. I don't think so. They are slightly typecast too. EP, LuPone etc are versatile actresses and can play vastly different roles.
EP came along at the same time as ALW dominance when these incredible roles were being created, which would also have helped.
We also struggle more now with the "what next" for people that wow us today and so many people who are incredible in one show just don't find a subsequent show of equal 'hit' status. Back in the day EP, Marti Webb, Sarah Brightman, Stephanie Lawrence would land one lead after another.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 31, 2018 12:06:25 GMT
I don’t think Kerry Ellis is a good enough actress to be considered for First Lady.
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Post by anthony40 on Jul 31, 2018 12:20:48 GMT
I don’t think Kerry Ellis is a good enough actress to be considered for First Lady. And she just seems to be everywhere! To the point where if I see her image or know she in it, I won’t book
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Post by TallPaul on Jul 31, 2018 12:30:14 GMT
The judges on the first series of The Voice UK didn't think Kerry Ellis was the first lady of anything!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 31, 2018 12:43:46 GMT
The judges on the first series of The Voice UK didn't think Kerry Ellis was the first lady of anything! I vaguely remember after the chairs turned round and she fessed up about who she was re Wicked, the general reaction of the judges was a polite “oh wow...” but the look on their faces said “who? In what?”
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2018 13:22:06 GMT
The judges on the first series of The Voice UK didn't think Kerry Ellis was the first lady of anything! Probably too busy trying to stop the ringing in their ears from all her bellowing. The judges on the first series of The Voice UK didn't think Kerry Ellis was the first lady of anything! I vaguely remember after the chairs turned round and she fessed up about who she was re Wicked, the general reaction of the judges was a polite “oh wow...” but the look on their faces said “who? In what?” As did most of the general public watching . . .
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Post by Stephen on Jul 31, 2018 14:00:10 GMT
Guys guys guys stop. I think we all know it's Claire Sweeney.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 31, 2018 14:19:19 GMT
No. It is clearly Su Pollard
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Post by Stephen on Jul 31, 2018 14:53:38 GMT
At least she had a dream, yeno.
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Post by Snciole on Jul 31, 2018 15:06:03 GMT
I was once doing a crossword in Take a Break and the picture clue was Ms Paige. My mum came over, offering unsolicited help, and pointing at the picture said
"Divine!?"
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Post by hannechalk on Jul 31, 2018 18:05:36 GMT
The judges on the first series of The Voice UK didn't think Kerry Ellis was the first lady of anything! I vaguely remember after the chairs turned round and she fessed up about who she was re Wicked, the general reaction of the judges was a polite “oh wow...” but the look on their faces said “who? In what?” I remember watching it, and although the judges didn't know Kerry as such, they said it was pretty clear there was nothing they could coach her on, hence why none of them turned round.
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Post by shady23 on Jul 31, 2018 20:51:33 GMT
She was stitched up as she was asked to audition.
Who would turn that down?
Fair play to her for giving it a go.
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Post by poster J on Jul 31, 2018 21:43:29 GMT
I’d definitely say Adura is the one for Broadway...she just needs to do a musical over here now! I think it's a tie between Audra and Kelli O'Hara personally - and we've been lucky enough to have both of them over here in the last couple of years!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2018 2:13:24 GMT
I’d definitely say Adura is the one for Broadway...she just needs to do a musical over here now! I think it's a tie between Audra and Kelli O'Hara personally - and we've been lucky enough to have both of them over here in the last couple of years! True! But I think it’d be grand if Audra did a big musical here as she’s only done a play that I heard didn’t do too well box office wise, hope that doesn’t put her off! Thing is, she’s not as well known over here amongst general public as she is in the USA, theatre lovers adore her. Is there any show right now in London you think she’d be good in?
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